1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carrying devices and toys and more particularly to an ostensibly stuffed toy animal which serves as a carrying device for infant accessories and is convertible to an infant changing pad.
2. Description of the Related Art
Parents, while travelling with an infant, typically have a difficult time as a result of the quantity of items which must be carried to care for the infant. The types of infant accessories vary in a wide range and include, for example, diapers, bibs, formula bottles, changing pads, baby wipes, baby blankets, feeding equipment and child toys.
Generally, heretofore, these infant accessories have been carried by large tote bags and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,150, issued on Dec. 12, 1989, discloses a baby's accessory carrier which includes an elongated, rectangular panel with a central, transversely extending change area covered by a releasable impermeable pad and bordered by a pair of pocket-containing ends, which are folded into an overlapping relationship with each other and with the change area to form a small, rectangular package. The package is folded double to form a compact, purse-like article.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,130, issued on Jan. 21, 1986, discloses a combination carrying bag for infant accessories and a diapering station formed of a single piece of material divided by fold lines into three successive sections to cushion an infant on a support surface and store infant accessories for diapering changing. The diapering station is converted into a carrying bag for infant accessories.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,277, issued on Nov. 1, 1988, discloses a diaper changing bag made from a soft quilted plastic material comprising two closeable storage compartments connected at their undersides by a mat in which the baby being changed is placed. Foldable end flaps support the baby's head and legs, respectively. Nappies or diapers and ointments can be stored in the compartments and feeding bottles in wells provided in the end of one of the compartments.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,020, issued on Oct. 13, 1959, discloses a diaper bag that folds out into a baby bed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,786, issued on Jan. 17, 1978, discloses another implementation of a baby bag.
By contrast to the above various infant accessory carrying devices, the following are examples of children's toy figures that may have additional utility.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,512, issued on Dec. 26, 1989, discloses a soft sculptural human-figured doll with a carrying strap. The doll may be used as a child's pillow.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 155,742 discloses a design for a children's purse in the shape of a bear with no substantial thickness. U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,121, issued on Aug. 31, 1976, discloses a doll with an unfixed shape that, by means of ties, can be arranged into various shapes.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 181,189 discloses a design for a toy bear figure with a back pack. U.S. Design Pat. No. 296,955, issued on Aug. 2, 1988, discloses an athletic tote bag with an ornamental animal fascia.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,159, issued on Jan. 7, 1986, disclosed a potentially multiple configured toy that may be concealed in a tote bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,512 discloses an animal-shaped toy with an attached blanket roll and inflatable pillow.
As will be disclosed below, the present invention combines the advantages of most of the previously discussed prior art by providing a device which efficiently and simultaneously carries numerous infant accessories. The present invention additionally and coincidentally serves as a child's toy configured as an ostensibly stuffed animal, which may further be reconfigured into an infant's bedding device and/or changing pad.